STAR of the month – January 2025
Congratulations to Victoria Powles, Therapy assistant on Alder Ward on being selected as NCH&C ‘January STAR of the Month’.
Congratulations to our latest STAR of the month winner, Victoria Powles, who is a Therapy Assistant on Alder Ward in Norwich.
This award recognises the commitment and dedication of staff members who give a service that is over and above what is expected of them in order to make a difference to patients, visitors and/or their colleagues. They embody our values and behaviours and deserve a special thank you in recognition for going above and beyond.
Victoria was chosen for the award after being nominated for a STAR of recognition badge by her colleagues, who said; “Vicky worked as a Healthcare Assistant on Alder Ward before joining the Therapy Team as a Therapy Assistant. Vicky coped well with the uncertainty around the ward’s temporary closure and has taken every opportunity to learn and grow into her role. Despite changes in staffing, Vicky has remained consistently reliable and hard-working, supporting whichever staff need it most. She has shown in many cases that she is willing to do whatever is necessary for the benefit of the patients, even if this means taking on additional responsibilities and workload beyond what is expected of her.
“Vicky is never afraid to try something new, she is not afraid to take on responsibilities and will seek out feedback so that she can improve and grow as a healthcare professional. Just one example of this, due to staff absence, there have been times when Vicky has almost single-handedly managed the care of the patients, filling the role of a Physio, OT and Discharge Co-ordinator, for the benefit of the patients. If she identifies that a task is needed, and nobody else is available to complete it, she will rise to the challenge to prevent delays or negative impacts to a patient’s care.
“She is actively engaged with the ward; supporting colleagues when needed, running meals at lunchtimes when staffing is short, and is always eager to assist the Therapy team by offering valuable suggestions and showing incredible initiative to take on additional jobs from other staff when workload is high. Working alongside Vicky, I have been inspired by her dedication, intelligence, and compassion. She aspires to start a Physiotherapy apprenticeship and will soon start her bridging modules which she will complete in her own time alongside her full-time work, and her responsibilities as a mum of three. I fully believe she will grow to be a fantastic Physiotherapist and will be an asset to whatever team is lucky enough to have her.”
Victoria will receive a special ‘STAR of the Month’ certificate and voucher from CEO, Matthew Winn.
Each month, CEO, Matthew Winn will select a Star of the Month from our STAR of Recognition winners. This award forms part of NCH&C’s new STAR Programme – our ‘sharing thanks and recognition’ scheme – which rewards outstanding internal achievements.